by Anna Mendell
The silence of the stars woke Rosa from her nightmare, and she rushed to her window. The moon was full, and the stars were twinkling merrily, and it was all a dream. Still, Rosa was filled by a sense of foreboding that her dream was no ordinary dream, but something that might come to pass, though she did not understand what it meant.
IN the morning, her father again called her before him and asked if she had thought over her marriage to Edmund.
“I don’t know what I think,” she said quietly. “But if I am unsure, I would rather not.”
The king shook his head. “No, Rosa, that is not good enough. If you have no serious objections to Edmund, I will announce your engagement.”
“Why!” Rosa cried. “Can you not wait until I have thought it over more? What if it is a mistake?”
“What if it is a mistake to do nothing!” the king cried. He clutched her by the shoulders. “Rosa, do you not understand how powerless I feel? You are my treasure, my only child. There is nothing that I can do for you to save you from the Dark Lady’s curse. But if Edmund can save you, if there is even a breath of hope, then we must fight your fate with all that we have.” He tenderly caressed her cheek. “I will not lose my little girl by doing nothing.”
Rosa’s eyes brimmed with tears, and she clutched her father’s hands. “I will think on it, father. Please give me some time before you announce anything.”
“I will do as you ask, Rosa, but know that, in the end, I will announce your engagement.”
IN THE music room, Rosa was plucking the strings of her harp at random until she realized that she was playing the song the stars had sung in her dream. Her fingers recoiled from the strings as if they had burned her fingers. She sensed another presence and looked up to see Edmund watching her from the doorway. He came in to sit beside her and said, “Something has disturbed you, tell me.”
Rosa bit her lip and began to play again, but this time a well-known and familiar tune. Edmund listened for a while and then said, “You know, I love watching you play.”
Her fingers once again fell away from the strings, and she opened her mouth to ask the question that was building up inside her so much she might burst.
“Edmund, you say you want to marry me to save me from the curse. But do you love me?”
“Rosa,” he said, taking her hand, “we share a darkness, you and I, the darkness of the curse. Yet you remain untouched by it and serve as a light to my own. How could I not love you?”
Rosa saw the pain in his eyes, and knew he was speaking the truth. “Edmund, I am not sure if I love you,” she said sincerely. “At least, I know that I care for you, but I don’t know if I love you in the way that you want. How can I be sure of my own feelings?”
“Let my certainty be enough for the both of us,” he exclaimed, and Rosa’s hand was squeezed in his tightening grip.
“Rosa, I want you to marry me, I want you to marry me soon. The one thing we do not have is time. Our love must be strong enough to overcome the curse, so that, when you fall asleep, I can wake you. I will not have you condemned to an eternal sleep! You are too bright, too beautiful, the shining star in my life.” He leaned forward to kiss her, but his words recalled to Rosa the stars in her dream. She felt a pang of fear and snatched her hand away.
“Rosa, do you feel nothing for me?” he cried.
“No, it isn’t that, but this is too much, too quickly. Marriage, the curse… this is all too important. Oh, I don’t know.” She wailed, standing and wringing her hands. “Thank you, Edmund, thank you so much. I will think about your proposal. I will think on it long and hard.”
She was gone, and Edmund sat alone in the music room staring at the harp she had so recently been playing.
ROSA’S continued nightmares and anxiety over Edmund’s proposal left her desperate to confide in Edwina. She felt that her parents and Alice wouldn’t understand her misapprehensions about Edmund, knowing as she did that they would grasp at any means to save her. But she hardly ever saw her handmaid anymore as all of Edwina’s time was given over to tending to the injured man, so it was with surprise that when she went for a walk in the castle grounds, she glimpsed Edwina in a secluded spot in the distance, sheltering under the boughs of an ash tree.
Edwina’s back was toward her, but she must have heard Rosa’s footsteps, because she turned to face the princess with a brave smile. Rosa, however, wasn’t fooled; she saw that Edwina’s eyes were red, as if she had been crying.
“Edwina dear, what is the matter?” she asked.
Edwina’s smile fell. At first, she tried to deny that anything was wrong, but then finally she broke down and sobbed against Rosa’s shoulder.
“Giles says he love me.”
So that is the young man’s name, Rosa thought.
“Oh, Rosa, I can’t believe it’s true. He’s wonderful, so kind and so gentle. I can’t believe he could ever care for someone like me.”
“Silly Edwina.” Rosa smiled, shaking her friend by the shoulders. “Is that all? Of course he loves you. He cannot help himself any more than I can. You are so good and so true. Dry your tears and tell me, do you feel the same way about him?”
Edwina lowered her face. “I know he loves me if he says so. But Rosa, I’m a nobody, a common kitchen girl. His love for me can do nothing but harm him. His family can’t accept me, and neither would the court. Someday he will tire of fighting the world for me. And… and… I’m not beautiful…” Edwina made an unconscious gesture toward her scarred cheek, but caught herself just in time. Rosa, however, noticed her movement, and a wave of sadness and regret washed over her. Edwina had never reproached her for the scar, but Rosa could only feel sorrow over her past cruelty and thoughtlessness that had forever marred her friend’s face.
Rosa threw her arms around Edwina and kissed her on both cheeks, once over the scar. “Edwina, no one who knows you could help but love you. That Giles wants to marry you shows his worth. Now answer me plainly. Do you love him?”
Edwina clutched the princess’ arm. “I love him so. I don’t want to let him go.”
“Nor should you!” Rosa cried. “You are my dearest friend, and you are no longer a kitchen girl, but my handmaid. I can speak to my father and mother and arrange the match, and we can give you such a dowry and hold your place in the court with such high esteem, that nobody could object.”
“Oh, no, Rosa, I couldn’t ask for that. I wasn’t going to tell you. Only you caught me by surprise.”
“And I am glad that I did. Otherwise you would be breaking your heart for no reason. Do you think I would let my dearest friend suffer when it is in my power to make her happy?”
Edwina threw herself in Rosa’s arms. “Oh, my dear princes,” she sobbed, “I’m so unbearably happy.”
Rosa went straightaway to her mother and poured out Edwina’s story, and the queen kept silent until Rosa had finished. The princess was seated beside her mother and looked earnestly into her face. “Mother, do you not think that they should marry if they love each other?” she asked.
Her words pulled the queen from her reverie, and she smiled at her daughter. “Yes, I do,” she admitted. “What strange magic you work, my little rose. I would have thought differently not so long ago. But now I see that nothing could be simpler. Do not worry. I will take the matter in hand and speak to your father. Only…” And here she softly caressed Rosa’s cheek. “You must weave the same spell for yourself, my dear. I would trust in your own heart when it comes to love and not let other cares and fears overwhelm what you know to be true.” The queen tucked a gold strand of Rosa’s hair behind her ear. “I am sorry that I was lost for so long, but I will never leave your side again.”
As her mother embraced her, Rosa felt that a burden was lifted. Rosa now understood that if, she refused Edmund’s proposal, her mother would be at her side, and she rested in her mother’s arms for a long while.
EDWINA and Giles were married with great festivity, and, for once, the princess did not outshine her h
andmaid. Joy so transfixed Edwina’s face on her wedding day that everyone in the castle glimpsed the girl whom Rosa saw in the mirror when they first had met. After the wedding ceremony, the king danced the first dance with the bride and then handed her over to her new husband. Giles moved stiffly on his injured leg, but it did not seem that either bride or groom minded. They had only eyes for one another, and he glowed when he held Edwina in his arms.
Rosa sighed with happiness as she watched them, and Edmund met her eyes from across the room. She gave him a bright smile, and the question flitted in her mind. “Could Edmund and I ever love one another the way Edwina and Giles do?”
Edmund strode across the room, took the princess in his arms, and they danced. The entire court watched, and, for the first time, Rosa could imagine herself marrying Edmund. Then she saw her father gazing at them intently, and, when she caught his eye, he gave her a nod. Her eyes darted away, and she saw that her Uncle Stefan was also watching them.
“What is it, Rosa? You seem distracted,” Edmund asked.
Rosa shook her head, but then sighed, “Oh, Edmund, I wish you were asking me to marry you without the curse. Then I would not feel as if my decision was being forced.”
“Rosa, I promise that I will not marry you if you do not wish me to. If you say no, I will withdraw my claim, and then neither your father nor mine could force you into marriage.”
“Truly?” she whispered.
Edmund nodded. “Yes,” he said and drew her closer to him, “I want you to feel perfectly free.”
They spoke not another word as they linked arms and spun in a tight circle. Then, even though he passed her on to the waiting partner next in line, Rosa felt her fears dissolving in the hope that he loved her and would do all that he could to rescue her.
ROSA fell asleep happy that night, but her dreams were yet again disturbed by nightmares. This time the night sky shone brilliantly with stars, but then the stars were no longer in the sky, but woven in a tapestry. There they danced among the threads, singing in gold and silver waves. Then the heavy, ominous thud of shearing scissors rent through the air, and, one by one, the golden threads snapped, dissolving into inky blackness. The magic was snuffed from the tapestry, and the stars were nothing but woven threads, grey and lifeless.
Rosa woke in a cold sweat; terror beat in her temples and shortened her breath. “No, I won’t let the stars die,” she whispered hoarsely. “Edmund and I will fight the darkness together.”
She threw on her cloak and desperately went out in search of him, but somehow, to her mounting dismay, she found herself lost in her very own castle. Tall shadows fell from forbidding arches. All the corridors twisted in a maze that inevitably led her to the thick oaken door before the high tower stairs. Every time she found herself at the door, she turned around in a rising tide of panic, searching for another path, but, no matter how many times she took a different way, her feet always led her to the high tower door. Her churning emotions settled down into a determined resolve. She knew that she must climb. She firmly grasped the cold, iron handle and heaved open the door.
The climb up the dark, winding stairway seemed endless. A hushed silence seemed to muffle even her own footsteps, so that all she could hear was the rapid pitter patter of her own heart until she finally reached the top of the tower. There, bathed in the moonlight shining from the open window, stood the Green Lady.
Rosa hesitated. Before, she would have immediately thrown herself straight into her godmother’s arms, but now she wavered, a reproach forming at the tip of her tongue. The Green Lady smiled softly, and the smile drew the princess to her.
“I had a nightmare,” Rosa said. “The stars had gone out, and the golden threads were cut.”
The Green Lady nodded.
“Of course, you know all that. You know everything that happens to me. You know what I must do.”
The Green Lady smiled more softly still.
“Tell me what I must do to keep the stars from going out,” Rosa demanded.
The Green Lady held out her arms. “My princess, you are full of doubts, come and I will comfort you.”
Rosa shook her head. “No, that will not do any good. I am not a child any more to be soothed and kept in the dark. Tell me what I must do.”
“Princess, if I told you now what lies in your path and what you must do to overcome the Dark Lady’s curse, you would not believe me or doubt that it could ever come to pass. You will do what your heart wishes either way. But if you choose wrongly, it would be much worse for you to do so fully knowing than only half- knowing.”
“But I will not do nothing!” Rosa cried. “I know that you want me to discover my gifts, but I do not understand what use they will be if I fall asleep. My father is right. I cannot wait for the curse to fall. Edmund and I will fight my fate together. We will marry, and he will save me from my sleep. Can you think of a better way?” Rosa lifted her chin defiantly.
The Green Lady still spoke softly, but the smile left her. “You would marry Edmund to escape your sleep? Do you love him?”
“Yes.” Rosa’s voice faltered. “At least, I think I might.” She shook her head and said in an agonized voice, “How is one supposed to know? I felt that I could, in his arms tonight. I know that he loves me and that he wants to save me.”
Her godmother’s voice was stern. “And you would use his love out of fear?”
“No!” Rosa cried, stung by the accusation. “It is not like that. Edmund cares for me, and I care for him. We will marry, and he will wake me from my sleep because he loves me. Then we will rule the kingdom in peace, and my father and mother won’t have to suffer anymore. If you have a better plan, you must tell me what to do. Otherwise I will marry Edmund.”
“You wish to bargain with me?” The Green Lady’s tone was hard and forbidding. She seemed to grow taller, blocking out the moonlight, her shadow stretching ominously long across the room.
Rosa shrank and clutched at her head. “You won’t tell me anything! You warn me about the curse, but you will not show me how to break it. Then why do you come here?”
The Green Lady remained silent.
“How can you say nothing? If what you truly want is for me is to fall asleep with no hope, then I cannot do that. Just leave me be.”
The Green Lady spoke. “Beware of what you say, Rosa. You belong to the line of the Golden Kings, and your words have power. If you send me away, then I will not come back to you until the trial has come to pass, and you will have need of me before long.”
“Will you tell me what I must do?”
The Green Lady said nothing.
“Then go.”
For a long moment her last words hung heavy in the air. Then the Green Lady spoke. “As you wish, Princess Rosamund. But I leave you with this final word of warning: If you do not take care, you will bring about the very fate you seek to escape.” With those parting words, the Green Lady was gone.
Rosa felt a dull, heavy ache inside. Had she really just sent her godmother away? Why wouldn’t her godmother tell her things like she used to?
Her head throbbing, Rosa managed to stumble down the tower steps. She no longer wished to see Edmund. She did not wish to see anyone. Rosa found her way back to her room and collapsed in weariness on her bed.
WHEN she awoke the next day, the events from the night before seemed shrouded in a mist and Rosa could barely believe that they had happened, except for the dull ache in the pit of her stomach that was her fear. The days passed, and, though Rosa slept fitfully, she no longer had any nightmares. She resolved that, for her parents’ and Edmund’s sakes, she would fight the curse. If Edmund truly loved her as he said, then she would wake up when he kissed her.
But does he? A little voice that she tried to banish whispered in her head. Does he love you enough to wake you? And do you? Do you love him enough to wake up when he calls?
She shook her head. This was her only chance, and that was why they must marry, so that their love would be strong en
ough when the time came.
The princess did not confide in Edwina her fears or her plan to marry Edmund. If she did, she feared the little voice would become stronger and cause her to waver in her resolve. Edwina noticed at times that Rosa was troubled and would grasp her hand, begging her to tell her what was wrong, but Rosa would shake her head, smile, and say that it was nothing, so eventually Edwina let the matter drop.
ROSA’S engagement to Edmund was announced. Her father did not ask her finally if she would accept the engagement, but she did not try to stop him from announcing it either. It is the only way, she thought.
Edmund stood beside her as the king proclaimed their engagement before the entire court. He grasped the princess’ hand as the court broke into a ringing applause that thundered painfully in the Rosa’s head. All she could see was a whirl of bright colors from the ladies’ gowns and she suddenly felt sick to her stomach. The engagement made the day of her curse feel so much nearer. Was she making a mistake? Edmund must have seen that she was in a daze, so he kissed her hand, which made the court cheer even louder. One by one, the lords and ladies filed up to congratulate the newly engaged couple. Stefan was the first of all to approach and kiss her hand, but Rosa avoided his gaze.
After the engagement ceremony, Edwina accompanied the princess to her room. Rosa could see that Edwina felt hurt that she had not told her of the engagement beforehand, and an unnatural silence hung between them. The queen was waiting for them at Rosa’s bedroom door. “I will put the princess to bed,” she said, so Edwina departed.
